Europe 2020 - "Increase for PTW registrations"
Before getting too excited by the latest PTW registration data from Brussels based ACEM, the international motorcycle industry trade association, it is worth noting that pre-registrations of unsold Euro 4 units before the end of December 2020 have distorted the 2020 full year and final quarter new unit registration data.
The effect is not as pronounced as when the Euro 3 to Euro 4 transition took place at the end of 2016, but the effects of securing street legal status for units that did not qualify for the end of series derogation agreed by the EU Parliament are apparent, albeit on relatively low volumes - especially in the November and December 2020 data.
In an understatement of epic proportions, ACEM says that "2020 was a difficult year for the motorcycle sector in Europe. The national lockdowns imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in spring, when the motorcycle market usually picks up, caused a sharp drop, or even a halt, of registrations.
"Logistic chains were also heavily disrupted, at all levels, for manufacturers and suppliers, impacting production.
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| ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot - "All in all, the motorcycle sector seems to have coped well with a very difficult year." |
"In aggregate, the largest European markets for motorcycles and mopeds recovered after spring, reaching an overall increase of +4% compared to 2019 data, although with different results across the countries. Some, as the Netherlands (+30.3%) and Germany (+27%), registered substantial increases, while others, such as Italy (-5.3%) and Spain (-8.8%), still lag behind 2019 figures."
'Big-5 markets +1.1% in 2020'
However, ACEM does acknowledge the problems with the registration data. "Generally speaking, the market progressively recovered in the second half of the year, although positive figures in late 2020 are also partly linked to pre-registrations performed by importers and dealers due to the end of validity of Euro 4 approvals (31 December 2020), for production falling outside end of series provisions.
"Looking at full-year 2020 results, a total of 883,102 motorcycles were registered in 2020 in the five largest European markets (i.e., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK). This represents a marginal increase of +1% compared to 2019 numbers."
The largest motorcycle markets in Europe in 2020 were: Germany (220,304 units), Italy (218,027 units) and France (191,231 units).
The largest European moped markets (i.e. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) rose from 246,345 units in 2019 to 279,841 in 2020. This represents an increase of 13.6% on a year-on-year basis. The largest markets for mopeds in Europe were France (98,592 units), the Netherlands (84,732 units) and Germany (35,010 units).
Commenting on the 2020 registration figures, ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said that "to a large extent market recovery was due to the renewed attractiveness and convenience of powered two-wheelers for urban and peri-urban commuting within a sanitary context in which public transportation has not been deemed a safe option by many citizens.
"Also, with reduced opportunities for holidaying abroad, most consumers, having had to delay their purchase in spring, still opted for a new motorcycle later in the year for leisure activities such as touring closer to home.
"All in all, the motorcycle sector seems to have coped well with a very difficult year. However, looking ahead, the jury is still out as many questions remain regarding the overall effects of the ongoing pandemic on the EU economy and on mobility."
